Morning journal and courier., 1887-05-06
FRENCH BALLET DANCERS.
How They Are Taught to Seem High
 as RuhbIes.

How They Are IaugnG 10 seem A1RnL
 Bubbles.
 This is how French ballet dancers are trained: Every day the pupil imprisons her feet in a pair of narrow cases, in which, heel to heel, the tortured limbs are accus- toned to remain in a parallel position. Af- ter half all hour in these cases another tor ture is substituted. This time one foot is placed on bar, which is held by the hand opposite to the foot which is being exercised, and both foot and hand are changed at the word of command. And it must not be i'm agined that these hard tests have to be un- dergone only for a certain length of time. They have always to be continued if the dancer wishes to preserve her elasticity. A single week of rest has to be paid with seve- ral months of double and uninterrupted work. The fable of Sisyphus and his rock is realized by the ballet dancer. She is the racehorse which pays with it's rest, it's en- bonpoint and it's liberty for the rapid victo- ries in the field. NJ. A. Second tells in his curious 'tPetits Mysteres de rOpera" that Mile. Taglioni, after two hours lesson by her father, fell fainting on the floor of her room, and remained unconscious while she was undressed, sponged and redressed. The lightness of her marvellous dancing before the audience was paid for with such price. Mile. Taglioni's example is vigorously fol- lowed by other dancers, and there are some who through bodily defects have unusual difficulties to overcome, and who torture themselves with barbarous ferocity.
 These daily exercises having come to an end, all the different steps are gone through, the professor rapidly indicating the changes from one step to another. And how hot the poor creatures become. Some moan and sigh; some gasp and cough; others can scarcely stand on their feet. With the dan cers only the legs grow stout, sometimes in deed too much so; but their arms, their shoulders, their chests are pitiful sight.
 At dancing lesson on the stage of the Paris opera all the ladies are dressed in cot- ton or flannel, which leaves their arms and shoulders bare, with garment down to their knees and boots like the cothurnus. The wealthy among them have costly fur coats; the poor have thin, shabby shawls or water proofs to wrap themselves in after the per formance is over. On the stage two dim lights are burning; several gentlemen stand about, one of them carrying a baton. The orchestra consists of two violins. The maitre de ballet, beating the floor with his baton, calls out: E'Now then, ladies, silence if you please! We begin again. The sec- ond tableau." And assuming the attitude Attention! The prison scene and the pris- oner's step! You are ehained-you-you, sacre bleul look toward the sky I tell youl Cross your hands and put one foot forward. Unfasten your hands. Quickly! Put your foot back!" Not unfrequently the baton is used for other purposes than merely to beat time, and the lesson goes on amid scolding and cursing. All the dancers take part in it, from the very young, the poor and theinno- cent, who try to embellish themselves with a bunch of violets or pair of brass earrings, to the grand ladies sparkling with diamonds gernaut.